


All I Want For Candlenights Is You

by TaraHarkon



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Candlenights, F/F, Gift Fic, Hallmark movie tropes, Kid Fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-21
Updated: 2018-12-21
Packaged: 2019-09-24 06:08:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,407
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17095268
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TaraHarkon/pseuds/TaraHarkon
Summary: Raven is a single mother with a business to run. Istus is a lonely woman from the big city who moved to New Phandalin to write.Little Kravitz is determined to bring them together.





	All I Want For Candlenights Is You

Istus had only just moved to the small town of New Phandalin. Her new house was a sturdy brownstone with two floors up and down and she'd found that she very much liked it and the neighborhood it was in. The only thing that was really missing from her day in and around the hours she spent at her typewriter working on the next book in the series she was publishing was someone to spend time with. Sure, she had a cat but one kitty did not make up for the lack of contact with other people. Even if Luca was a very good boy with a big purr and excellent toe beans. And even if he had a habit of curling up in her lap while she was writing. One very good kitten couldn't make up for everything else missing in her life. Especially not at Candlenights.

She was headed into the town with a basket on her arm and her coat pulled tight around her against the chill in the air. The plan was just to pick up some groceries. She would need something she could call a Candlenights dinner and a little treat for Luca. The wind was picking up, cutting through her coat, and she tried to pull it even tighter. Then she saw a knit hat whipped in the wind, racing down the sidewalk towards her. It was dark purple with grey stripes, or at least she was pretty sure it was as the wind whipped it towards her. Catching it with surprise, she looked up to see a dark haired boy chasing it down the streets. He looked to be about ten, maybe a bit older, and he skidded to a stop just in front of her. 

"Hello there." She held the hat out with a friendly smile. "Is this yours?"

He smiled bright up at her, red eyes cheerful.

"Yes, Miss! Thanks for catching it."

She held the hat out and he took it, pulling it back onto his head.

"Here you go." She paused for a moment, uncertain. Then she raised an eyebrow at him. "Shouldn't you be in school?"

He wiggled that hat further down, making sure it covered the slightly pointed tips of his ears.

"It's break, Miss. For Candlenights. Didn't you know?" Then he gave her a bright grin. "I'm Kravitz. And you're new in town, right?"

Istus looked startled for a moment and then laughed. She really had lost track of time between moving and the days spent writing. It wasn't like she had anyone to spend the holidays with, though she should probably send a card to her cousin, Pan. 

"That's right, Kravitz. I just moved here the other day. I'm Istus."

He fell into step walking beside her, bright red eyes on the stores they were passing.

"Are you going somewhere specific? Or are you just going for a walk? Have you been to my Mama's yarn shop yet? It's really nice. She's got the best yarn and it comes in lots and lots of colors."

Istus chuckled at the energetic boy.

"I was going to the grocer but I really haven't been anywhere else in town. I don't suppose you'd be willing to show me around, would you?"

He grinned up at her and then offered his arm like a proper little gentleman, heading off towards the grocer's shop while he told her all about everyone in the small town. 

* * *

 

Kravitz hung his coat on the rack as he ran up the stairs into the apartment loft above the Nevermore Yarn Shop. The shop was still open which meant that his mother would still be downstairs. That meant it was the perfect time for him to grab his notebook and write his letter to Candlenights Santa. He'd spent a lot of time thinking about what he wanted this year and he was finally ready to write it up. He slammed the notebook down on the kitchen table and went to pour himself a big glass of milk and grab a cookie. That done, he grabbed his markers and set in to start working on his letter.

Dear Candlenights Santa,

I've been very, very good this year. I did all of my chores and I didn't let any of my friends drag me off to break the rules with them like last year. Not even when Lucas was being mean to Barry again. This year, there's only two things I really, really want. First and probably the easiest, I really want a bike. One with a basket on the front like Lup's. The next part is probably hard and I don't know if anyone can do it, but I'd really like it if you could make my mom happy. She's really lonely only she doesn't think I know. But I know. I think she needs a girlfriend. And I'd like another Mom so I've got two. And maybe then Mom could be happy. That would be really nice if you could. Thank you!

Kravitz

With that done, he tucked his markers aside and went to find an envelope so he could send it to the north pole. He would leave it on the table and his Mom would mail it when she was done with the shop. 

* * *

With her errands done, Istus found herself passing by the Nevermore Yarn shop once again. She paused, looking at a beautiful sweater in the window, and then looked up to see an even more beautiful woman with hair so black it looked blue tidying up inside. Istus felt a hot blush come to her cheeks as the woman looked up and met her eyes. A moment later, the little bell above the door rang as the woman stepped outside.

“Happy Candlenights. And welcome to New Phandalin, if I don’t miss my mark.”

“What?”

Istus looked startled and the woman laughed, the sound infectious.

“I know everyone in town and I don’t think I’ve seen you around before. So, you must be new to town. Am I right?”

“You got me in one. I’m Istus.”

The dark haired woman smiled and held her hand out.

“Raven McAllister. It’s really nice to meet you.” Then she raised an eyebrow. “What brings you to New Phandalin? No one ever comes out here.”

Istus sighed softly, thoughts briefly skipping back to her old apartment in Neverwinter and the old neighborhood. It hadn’t been a great place to live, though she’d stayed there for years trying to convince herself that she was happy working at the paper.

“Just wanted a change of scenery, I guess. And New Phandalin is about as far from Neverwinter as you can get.”

Raven nodded her agreement, red eyes curious but if she had other questions, she kept them behind her teeth for now. Then she reached for the A frame sign sitting out on the sidewalk advertising holiday sales and beginner lessons.

“Well, it was nice to meet you, Istus. Don’t be a stranger.”

She smiled as she turned to head back into the store, clearly closing for the evening. Istus felt a bit of a blush rise to her cheeks and turned to head back to her own cozy brownstone. She really did need to feed Luka.

Raven made her way up the stairs, already smelling something cooking. She wasn’t terribly surprised to find her son in the kitchen surrounded by mess with a pot of macaroni and cheese he was steadily mixing cheese powder into on the counter. All around him were the remains of the box and splashes of milk. He had somehow even managed to get cheese powder in his hair. With a sigh, she reached for a washcloth.

“You’ve been listening to Taako boast about cooking with his aunt again, haven’t you?”

Kravitz looked up at her, a smear of cheese sauce on his cheek.

“It’s not boasting, Mama. I had some of his cookies earlier and they were amazing!” He nodded excitedly and then gave her a very solemn look. “When I’m big enough, I’m gonna marry Taako and have his cookies all the time.”

Raven laughed, reaching to fetch down two bowls.

“I’ve heard worse reasons to get married.” Taking the pot from him, she carefully filled both bowls. “How about I cook up some hotdogs to add to this? And you tell me about your day?”

Kravitz nodded, taking his bowl and going to his seat and their small kitchen table. And while Raven set about cooking two hotdogs in a frying pan on the stove, Kravitz told her all about his day of fun playing with Taako and Lup in the morning and then meeting Istus after lunch.

“And I wrote my letter to Candlenights Santa.”

Raven sliced the hotdogs up and added them to the mac and cheese before dropping into her own seat.

“Perfect, I’ll pop that into the mail in the morning. Did you ask for anything fun?”

Kravitz stuck out his tongue.

“You know I can’t tell! That’s not how Candlenights Santa letters work!”

They finished out their meal together, laughing and talking about his plans for the next day. She would be busy all day with the holiday sales but he was going to spend the day with his friends down at the old mines on the edge of town. The mine shafts had been blocked up a long time ago, but the hills were still there for the children to sled on. 

But first, Kravitz had chores to do before bed and a night of dreams. Which left Raven free to pick up her needles and continue working on the new scarf she'd started. She was entirely sure who she was making it for when she'd started. But now she looked at the bright colors she was carefully striping and the cables that ran through it and thought of Istus. A blush colored her cheeks and she shook the thought away. She couldn't possibly give a present to a woman she'd only just met. That was ridiculous.

* * *

 Kravitz ran through the snow with his sled tucked under his arm, waving as he saw Taako, Lup, and Barry ahead. They were waiting at the bottom of the hill, each of them with a sled in hand, and Kravitz started waving excitedly. Barry yelped suddenly, jumping and falling into the snow, and Lup doubled over laughing. Based on the way he was trying to shake out the back of his coat, she must've shoved snow down in his jacket. 

"Lup!"

Taako was laughing too and he ran forward before Lup could get him the same way.

"Come on, Bones. Let's go race."

As they ran towards the hill, Kravitz looked over to see Lup offering Barry a hand up. He was laughing now too, even if he was still trying to get the snow out of his coat. 

After a few hours when they were all soaking wet and laughing, Taako was the first one to suggest they head back to his aunt's house. 

"For cocoa and shit. Get warmed up." Then he grinned. "Plus, Auntie got more pudding so I can make us a snack."

When they got back to the house, Lup started in boiling water for the hot chocolate ("We can't have milk, Ko! It'll make Barry sick. Remember?") and Taako climbed onto a chair to get down the graham crackers from the cabinet. Then he handed the box to Kravitz.

"Grab the rolling pin and smash some of those for me, okay?"

Kravitz looked surprised but he took the box and grabbed a rolling pin from the drawer while Taako went to go make pudding. It splashed all over the counter at least once while Taako was stirring and Kravitz spilled graham cracker crumbs on the floor, but soon they had filled the bottoms of little cups with the graham crackers and poured pudding over top.

"Okay, now that goes in the fridge and later we put the whipped cream on. But none for Barold."

Barry nodded where he was helping Lup carry all the mugs to the table. She also had a big bowl of marshmallows. As they settled in with their hot drinks, Taako nudged Kravitz.

"So, what've you been up to, Bones? Anything fun?"

Kravitz laughed and took a long sip of his cocoa. It really didn’t taste as good with just water, but Lup glared at them when they complained.

“I’m trying to get my mom a girlfriend.” He whispered it like it was a secret. “I met a really nice lady and she’s new in town. She’s got a cat and she lives alone and she writes books.”

Taako nodded, made sense.

“That sounds really nice. How’re you gonna do it?”

Kravitz deflated visibly.

“I dunno.” Then he nudged Barry. Barry was older, a whole two years older. He had to know stuff like this. “Barry, how’d you tell Lup you like her?”

Barry’s glasses suddenly fogged from the hot chocolate in his hands and his cheeks went from pink to bright, bright red.

“Wh-what?”

Lup leaned over the table, looking at Barry with both ears flicked straight up.

“You do?”

Taako nearly fell out of his seat with how hard he was laughing.

“There’s your answer, Bones!”

Kravitz looked suddenly uncomfortable as he realized that Lup had been the only one who didn’t know about Barry’s crush. But based on her smile now, she didn’t mind. Maybe she liked Barry too?

“It doesn’t help though... Unless...”

Taako and Lup both looked at Kravitz now, excitement on their faces.

“Unless?”

“Unless?”

Kravitz took a breath.

“What if I sent Miss Istus flowers and said they were from Mom? Think it’d work?”

“Flowers are... they’re really expensive, Kravitz...” Barry adjusted his glasses, trying to unfit them without leaving streaks. “I uh... I checked once. For reasons.”

Taako snorted a laugh and tossed a marshmallow at Barry.

"You were gonna get flowers for my sister!"

He practically sang the words and Barry turned an even brighter red.

"Shut up, Taako!"

Barry grabbed the marshmallow that had hit him and threw it back at Taako. Soon, a full scale marshmallow fight broke out in the small kitchen, with all four kids laughing and sticky marshmallows flying everywhere. When their Aunt got home from a long day at her bakery, she just stood in the doorway and sighed.

"Alright, I'm glad you all had fun, but you'd best be planning on cleaning up."

By the time they were done gathering all the marshmallows back up and they'd finally eaten their pudding pies, it was time for Kravitz to head home. And he was no closer to an answer to how to get his mom and Miss Istus together. He pulled his coat back on to walk home, Barry walking with him since they lived near each other. 

"Hey Kravitz?"

Kravitz looked up, distracted momentarily from his thoughts.

"Yeah?"

"You could try sending her a card. Just sign your mom's name. You could send them both cards."

Kravitz stopped short, looking at Barry in surprise. Then he turned, a huge grin on his face.

"Barry, that's a great idea. Come on, we've gotta go to the store!"

Barry adjusted his glasses as they took off running towards the general store. A moment later, they pushed through the door and the little bell above their heads rang. 

"Boys! Hello! Can I help you find something?"

The cheerful man behind the counter was as inscrutable as ever as he waved at them and leaned forward. Kravitz turned and gave him a big smile.

“Hi, Mister Garfield! Do you have Candlenights cards?”

Garfield’s smile grew even wider.

“Aisle 3, boys. We’ve got some very special ones this year.”

"Thanks, Mister Garfield!"

They both ran into Aisle 3 and started looking around. They would need two different cards to make them look like they came from different people. Finding one that looked like it came from Kravitz's mom wouldn't be too hard. She usually went for something sort of traditional. The real question was what sort of card would Miss Istus get for someone? After a few minutes, Barry held up a cute one with a cat in a sweater sitting by a Candlenights bush.

"You said she's got a cat, right? And it's got a sweater, so your mom'll like it."

Kravitz nodded and then dug around in his pocket until he'd found a few gold to pay for both. He held the handful out proudly to Mister Garfield and let the shop with a little paper bag with both cards held protectively inside. He would figure out the rest when he got home.  

* * *

 

Raven watched the various beginning knitters with a critical eye. Today's class was made up largely of children, so she had them making simple square washcloths. It was nice and simple with just a touch of a pattern to it so they could get a handle on the basics. Sehanine's girl, Lucretia, was doing quite well. She would need to move up to a more advanced class soon if she kept this up. Maybe socks. Brad Bradson was struggling a bit but he was trying his best. The problem really was that the needles were a bit too small for his hands. And then there were Magnus Burnsides and Julia Waxmen. Julia was doing great, of course. She would need to be moved up to the sock class soon as well. But Magnus had somehow inexplicably managed to knit a duck. No one was sure how he'd done it and Carey Fangbattle kept trying to steal it while Julia tried to help him find the mistake. Raven reached for her coffee with a smile. The classes for children were always so very fun, so very rewarding, even when they were complete chaos like today. 

The bell over the door rang and Raven looked up to see Kravitz run in. He waved to his friends in the class as he jogged up towards their apartment, taking the stairs two at a time. Well, that was certainly odd. Kravitz almost always stuck around to talk to his friends in the class at least for a bit, even if he didn't really get along with Merle. Her eyebrows came together slightly as she wondered briefly if her son was up to something. But no, that just wasn't like him. Kravitz wasn't the sort of boy to get up to trouble. And she didn't have time to think about it. Not with Killian very nearly turning a pair of knitting needles and her yarn into a crossbow. 

"Alright everyone, focus up here, please. Let's see how everyone's doing." 

* * *

 

Kravitz slammed into his room and dropped into the chair at his desk, throwing drawers open in search of pens that would look neat and adult. Now came the hardest part. He had to come up with the words. He set the fancy pen his mother had given him as a present on year on the desk and took both cards out of the paper bag. This would be a lot harder than when he'd written a valentine's day card for Taako, he was sure of that. Or was it? He took the envelope out and very carefully wrote 'Istus' across the back. Then he opened up the card and stuck his tongue out in concentration. After a long moment, he decided to try something simple. He would invite her over for Candlenights. She was alone, right? With just her cat? That was what she'd said. Who could pass up his mom's Candlenights dinner? No one, that was who. Then what should he put in the card for his mom? Something really nice. Maybe call her pretty. Raven was very pretty. Perfect!

With both of them done, he tucked them into the envelopes and hid them in his desk. He would have to deliver them tomorrow very, very carefully. He put his pen away and went to go start making a quick dinner for when his mom was done with her classes.  

* * *

 

Istus sat at her typewriter with a mug of tea close to hand and tried to think. The hardest part about being a writer, she thought, was the middle. She knew exactly how she wanted this particular story to end and she knew right where it began. The hard part was getting from point A to point B, weaving the threads of the narrative through in a way that made sense. Luka wriggled in her lap and she patted him gently behind his ears just where he liked it. His soft rumbling purr filled the air and drew a smile to her face. 

"You're right. I should take a break. But I was really hoping to get this next chapter to my editor before Candlenights." She set her mug down and picked him up carefully. "Let's go get your dinner and maybe I'll have a better idea for where I'm going after. How does that sound?"

Luka leapt out of her arms with a loud maiow and ran towards the kitchen. Istus couldn't help but laugh as she followed after him.

"You just wanted your dinner, didn't you? Rascal."

Her voice was full of cheerful affection as she followed after him. She opened the cabinet and he trotted around her feet, mewing piteously as she reached for the can of food. She spooned out his dinner onto his little plate and then stretched, realizing she hadn't had her own dinner yet. She went to the freezer to get out one of the little pizzas she'd bought. She could have that.

"Preheat to 400..." She murmured, skimming the box as she walked to the oven. Then she got out a baking sheet. "There, I'll eat something and get back to writing. How does that sound, Luka?"

Luka looked up at her and mewed quietly. Istus chuckled quietly.

"I thought you'd like the sound of that."

With her pizza in the oven, she sighed and leaned against the counter. Part of the reason she was having trouble focusing tonight was that her mind kept going back to the woman she'd briefly met outside Nevermore Yarn Shop. Raven McAllister. Now, Istus had never been one to deny that she was very attracted to women, and this woman had particularly caught her attention. She would love to get to know her better. Maybe she could see if Raven was interested in getting coffee sometime? After Candlenights. After she'd gotten this chapter submitted. Maybe. 

* * *

 

Kravitz pulled his hood up and his hat further down, hoping both would conceal his face in his oversized coat. Then he set out in the early morning light. He knew right where Istus lived from the local gossip. That was the nice thing about living in New Phandalin. There were so few people that when someone new moved in, everyone would know. He crept up to her front door and opened the mailbox, dropping the card in. Then he turned away and ran back towards home to deliver the second one. After that, his plan was to go to Taako's and hide there so his mom wouldn't suspect he was behind the cards. And Taako had promised him they would make pudding pies again if he came over. And this time, it would just be them. Lup and Barry were going sledding again today. 

* * *

 

Istus had wanted to sleep in that morning since she only had her writing to do and she preferred to do that in the afternoon anyway, but Luka woke her up bright and early by jumping on her chest and miaowing loudly.

"Luka, no. Go back to sleep, please?"

He mewed again, right in her face, and she sat up. 

"Alright, alright. Let's go get your breakfast."

He headed towards the kitchen with his tail held high like a pennant and Istus followed after. Once his breakfast had been served and she had the kettle going, she leaned against the counter and tried to decide what to do with her morning. That was when she heard the mailbox bang shut. It was far too early for the postman to be here, wasn't it? She went to open the door and looked around. Small footprints trailed away from her front steps and she spotted a figure dashing through the snow. She wasn't sure who it was and frowned slightly, wondering if perhaps this was a childish prank. But she opened the mailbox and looked inside. Inside, there was an envelope. She took it out and headed inside, curious. There was her name written across the outside in a tidy hand but something about the way the letters were shaped that spoke of a child's hand and not an adult's. She wasn't sure though. She sat at the table with her fresh cup of coffee and opened the envelope carefully. Inside was a card with a beautiful scene across the front adorned with images of a Candlenights bush fully and brightly decorated with a candle perched on top of it. It was elegant and Istus smiled as she looked at it. Who could it possibly be from?

She reached down to pat Luka as he nudged against her leg. Then she patted her lap to coax him up. He leapt up into her lap and kneaded her thigh for a moment before settling down. She opened the card to see the same handwriting across the inside inviting her...

She nearly dropped her coffee in surprise and her eyes shot down to the signature. Raven. The beautiful dark haired woman from the yarn store in town. Raven was inviting her to Candlenights dinner? Istus couldn't believe what she was seeing. And yet. And yet. She felt a hot blush rising to her cheeks and she wondered if perhaps Raven had been having the same sort of thoughts that she had. Or perhaps she'd just noticed that Istus was alone other than little Luka. He blinked solemn eyes up at her and she held the card down where the cat could see.

"What do you think, Luka? Should I go?"

He pawed at the card and mewed softly, drawing a laugh out of her. 

"Alright, alright, I can take a hint. I'll go."

She set the card back on the table and smiled at it. It would be nice to have someone to see on Candlenights, to spend the holiday with. 

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Candlenights, Hyst! Hope you like your present!


End file.
